Add a CNAME record

When using Google for Work services, you might need to add a CNAME record to your domain's DNS settings to customize a web address, verify domain ownership, or reset your administrator password. You add CNAME records using the administration tools at your domain host, not the Google Admin console. The exact steps for your host might vary. Below you can find generic steps that apply for any host as well as specific instructions for several popular hosts.

Adding a CNAME record does not disrupt your current mailflow or affect other services.

The page might be called something like DNS Management, Name Server Management, or Advanced Settings.

Locate the CNAME records for your domain. You may already have one or more records resembling:

Name / Host / Alias

Time to Live (TTL)

Record Type

Value / Answer / Destination

www

86400

CNAME

yourdomain.com. or @

mail

86400

CNAME

yourdomain.com. or @

Add a CNAME record with the correct values for your desired use case. Or modify an existing CNAME record if the one you want to change is already there. To find out exactly what values to enter, see CNAME record values.

If you purchased your domain from a Google partner while signing up for your Google for Work account, you must go to your Google Admin console to access your domain's DNS settings. See Access DNS records from a partner host.

CNAME record changes can take up to 72 hours to go into effect, but typically they happen much sooner.

Need help or want to verify your change? To begin, see Troubleshoot CNAME records. If you still need help after that, or if you can't access your domain's DNS records, contact your domain host directly for assistance.